Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Disney drama tackles Navy life and 9/11.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Tiger Cruise
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In TIGER CRUISE, Maddie Dolan (Hayden Panettiere) agrees to join a group of other civilians aboard a navy ship, where her father, Gary (Bill Pullman), is commander. Resenting his time away from the family, she plans to talk him into coming home, but when news of the 9/11 attacks reaches the vessel, everything changes. Maddie begins to understand the huge responsibility her father bears, and is inspired to step up and do her duty to help.
Is It Any Good?
In a role that very much plays to her strengths, Panettiere is a likable lead in this Disney family drama. Throughout the course of Tiger Cruise, she moves from petulant teen to protective big sister to determined group leader naturally, and has strong chemistry with the other young actors. Scenes between Panettiere's Maddie and friends Tina and Anthony have a warm sense of mischief and fun, though an impromptu musical interlude in the kitchen feels a little forced and out of place in a film that is, for the most part, relatively realistic. Pullman's naval commander strikes a good balance between strictness and kindness -- always punctuated with a heroic glow.
The mirroring between the commander's duty onboard the ship and Maddie's role among the civilians is handled with some subtlety and nuance. And the stories that emerge from other passengers onboard go some way to exploring the affects of 9/11 across the country, without going into detail that could scare or upset younger viewers. The patriotism feels a little heavy handed at times, particularly toward the end of the movie, with plenty of talk about duty and protecting the country, and a wistful scene involving the unveiling of an enormous U.S. flag. But overall, Tiger Cruise is an enjoyable family drama that takes on a serious topic with mixed results, but plenty of heart.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Tiger Cruise handled the events of 9/11. Did it do sensitively? How did the events impact those onboard the ship? How does 9/11 continue to impact our own lives today?
Discuss how Maddie's role among the civilians on the ship mirrored her father's role in the Navy. What did Maddie learn about her father and herself by the end of the movie?
Talk about how the friends Maddie meets onboard, and their experiences and family ties, shed further light on navy life. Do you think it's a realistic portrayal of what being in the Navy, or having a family member in the Navy, is like?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 6, 2004
- Cast : Hayden Panettiere , Bill Pullman , Bianca Collins
- Director : Duwayne Dunham
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Disney Channel Original Movies
- Genre : Drama
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy
- Run time : 88 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 9, 2021
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